Potato-digger



(No Model.)

' V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. KELSEY.

POTATO BIGGER;

No. 275,669. Patented Apr.10,1883'.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.

Liam-LS3?- POTATO BIGGER. "N0. 275,669. 'Patented Apr.10,1883.

(hugnphnn Wahington n. a

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOREN G. KELSEY, OF MARILLA, NEW YORK.

POTATO -D|GGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 275,669, dated April 10, 1883.

Application filed October 9, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOREN G. KELsEY, of-

Marilla, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Potato-Diggers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of potato diggers which are provided with a plow whereby the potatoes are raised out of the ground, and a rotating cageinto which the potatoes are delivered by the plow, and in which they are.

consists, of the particular improvements which are hereinafter fully described, a nd pointed out; I in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a potato-digger provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with the revolving cage in section. Fig.3 is a vertical transverse section of the machine. Fig. at is a side elevation of the machine, with the revolving cage removed. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the revolving cage. Fig. 6 is a front elevation, illustrating the operation of the plow.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents t-he'pole of the machine, and B the revolving cage, arranged onone side of the pole, with its large end toward the pole.

11 represents the hub of the revolving cage, turning on ajournal, b,which is inclined downwardly and outwardly, and secured at its upper end to the frame of themachine by means of an axle or extension, I), which is supported by bracesb attached to the pole A. Thelower end of the journal b is secured in a bracket, 0, which is attached to a longitudinal piece, 0, forming a part of the frame of the machine, and connected with the pole A by braces 0, arranged in front and in rear of the revolving cage.

D represents a wheel which supports the outer end of the frame of the machine, and which turns on a crank-axle, d, so that the wheel can be raised and lowered with reference to the frame of the machine. The crank-axle (1 turns with its inner end in a bearing, (1", formed in the longitudinal piece 0 ofthe frame,

as represented in Fig. 3, and is provided with a hand-lever, d whereby it can be turned in the bearing. The longitudinal piece 0 is provided with a segment, 0, having a suitable number of pe1-forations,\vhereby the hand-lever (I? may be secured in any desired position and the wheel at various elevations by inserting a bolt, 6, through the hand-lever and one of the perforations of the segment. Any other suitable device for securing the hand-lever in the desired position may, however, be employed, if preferred. The revolving cage is provided with a number of hooks or rings, ff f which are connected with the hub of the cage by arms f. The rings increase in diameter from the outer to the inner end of the cage, and are connected by rods or bars f which form the sifting-surface by which the potatoes are separated from the earth. The cage is designed '7 town on the largest ringyf, which is located at the inner endot' the cage, and the .wheel 1) is adjusted so as to carry the outer :narrow end of the cage clear of the ground. The revolving cage is provided in its inner surface withfa number of spiral blades, which propel the material toward the narrow end of the cage. Someot' the blades extend only partially through the cage, commencing at the inner end of the'cage and terminating at a suit- 8 5 able distance from the outer end, as shown at g, and one of the blades, 9', extends from the inner to the outer end of the cage, and connects at its outer end with an annular plate,

h, which is arranged in the outer narrow end of the cage, and provided with an opening, h, through which the potatoes are discharged from the cage. The short blades at the inner end of the cage propel the material to the outer end of the cage, where the material is retained by the annular plate, h, and subjected to the sifting action ,of the cage until it is seized by the long blade 9 and discharged through the opening h. By this means the potatoes are held in the cage for a certain to: length of time and thoroughly separated from v the ground and discharged in a batch once at every revolution of the cage. The arms which connect the hub withthe rings of the cage are preferably arranged in a spiral line on the hub, so as to leave ample room for the passage of the weeds and prevent the clogging of the cage.

I represents the plow or scoop, which enters the hill and raises the potatoes and delivers the same into the cage. This plow is attached at its rear end by a pivoted bar, 1', to the pole A, and its front end is connected adjustably, so that it can be raised and lowered. As shown in the drawings, the front end of the plow is provided with a raised cross-bar, J, which is provided at its outer end with a wheel, j, whereby the front end of the plow is supported.

I: represents a transverse shaft, journaled in bearin gs secured to the underside of the braces b and k are arms secured to the shaft, and connected by rods 7, with the cross-bar J of the plow.

l is a hand-lever mounted on the outer end of the shaft, and I" is a fixed segment secured to the stationary frame and provided with a series of perforations or other suitable means for securing the hand-lever Z in arious positions. By turning the shaft is by means of the hand-leverl the front end of the plow is raised and lowered.

m represents a bar or bracket secured to the pole A over the front end of the plow, and extending outwardly, and m is a rod pivoted with its upper end to the outer end of the bar m, and with its lower end to the cross-bar J of the plow. The rod m permits the vertical ad justment of the front end of the plow, and at the same time prevents the lateral displacement of the same.

N represents'a point or cutter arranged in front of the plow I in line with the inner large ring, f of the revolving cage. This cutter is attached to the cross-bar J, either rigidly, as shown, or by means ofa spring-bar, which permits the point to yield when striking an ob- The cutter N is so shaped as to cut struction.

into the side of the hill in front of the revolving cage, and turn a portion of the earth outward and under the cage, thereby forming a depressed path in the side of the hill for the large ring f of the cage to run in, and preventing that portion of the earth so cut away, and which does not contain any potatoes, from being delivered into the cage. The cage is thereby enabled to travel at a level considerably below the crest of the hill, and the depth to which the front end of the plow has to be adjusted below the cage in order to reach all the potatoes is thereby considerably reduced, and the height to which the ground and potatoes have to be elevated in order to be delivered into the cage is in the same measure lessened.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a potato-digger, the combination of a revolving cage, B, arranged upon an inclined shaft, Z), and resting at its largest end upon a supporting-ring,f and open at both ends, asupporting-wheel,D, arranged at the small end of the cage and adapted to be raised and lowered, and a plow, I, arranged at the large end .of the cage, and also adjustable vertically, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a potato-digger, the combination, with a revolving cage, B, running at its largest end upon a supporting-ring,f and open at both ends, of a scoop or plow, I, arranged opposite the largest end of the cage and a preliminary cutter, N, arranged in front of the supportingring' f and of the rear portion of the plow I, whereby one side of the hill is cut away and turned under the cage and the latter lowered and a track formed in the side of the hill for the supporting-ring of the cage, substantially as set forth.

LOREN G. KELSEY.

Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, Guns. F. GEYER. 

